


Rollerblades

by oceanyeon



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Childhood, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-15 04:23:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7207709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceanyeon/pseuds/oceanyeon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Steve smiled a gap toothed smile, 'If we skate together, nobody could tell us to leave? Plus I’m not really good at skating on my own…,'"</p><p>Modern AU setting were Sam and Steve grow up together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rollerblades

**Author's Note:**

> Not good at titles or summaries, forgive me. This took entirely too long to write.  
> May or may not have been inspired by the song Juke Jam by Chance the Rapper. Enjoy :)

Saturdays were spent at the skating rink; like a watering hole for all the kids off of school to hang out. Sam sat on one of the carpeted platforms and tied his worn-down, rented roller skates that were most definitely older than him. Granted, he was only six, but everything here seemed extremely old. There was a disco ball hanging from the ceiling; where do you even get one of those now? And the older kids were crowded around a jukebox that only played old disco records. Even the multi-colored carpet looked like it came straight from the 70s.

Kids his age, older, and younger skated past him munching on fruity candy, kool-aid pickles, or other unhealthy snacks you get only at a roller rink. Some were wearing glow bracelets or one of those toy pacifiers that light up in colors bought with their allowance. Sam had begged his mom to get him one, but she told him he had to pick between an ice cream cone or a bracelet, and ice cream had sounded good at the time.

Tired of watching everyone else skate, Sam clumsily rose from his seat, trying hard to balance himself on his skates and not embarrass himself in front of his classmates.

After finally getting onto his feet, the dreaded slowing down of the music and dimming lights made Sam’s heart sink.

“Alright everyone, it’s couples only skate! Either get a partner or get out!” The DJ crooned over the speaker. Crowds of people began bustling on and off the rink.

“Seriously!” Sam whined, talking to no one in particular. Maybe the DJ, who was playing some old Marvin Gaye song that his mom probably knew all the words to. “I haven’t even gotten a chance to skate yet!”

“Same here,” came a voice from behind. Sam turned around to see Steve, one of the boys in his grade. They weren’t in the same class, so he didn’t know him well, but they played together with the other boys at recess sometimes. Steve was clutching the nearest wall with both hands trying to keep balance on his skates. Due to his tousled, blonde hair it was obvious that he’s probably already fallen a few times.

“I hate when they do couples skate,” he continued. “Makes it no fun for the rest of us to sit and watch.”

“And I hate waiting,” Sam replied, only partly joking.

Steve smiled a gap toothed smile, “If we skate together, nobody could tell us to leave? Plus I’m not really good at skating on my own…,” he suggested sheepishly, ducking his head away from Sam.

Sam didn’t see any problem in that. “Yeah, smart!” He grabbed Steve’s hands into his own and led him out on the skating floor.

Most of the skaters on the floor were older and could actually skate. Even though Sam was six, he could skate pretty well. Steve on the other hand was struggling and dragging them down. Normally Sam would just let go and skate on ahead, but this was couples’ skate. They had to stay holding hands. Steve shuffled along with Sam, mainly walking on wheels instead of actually skating. A couple of older kids skated by laughing and Steve’s pale ears turned a bright pink.

“Hey,” Sam whispered and squeezed Steve’s hands. “They’re just a couple of dumb older kids. Not everybody can be a good skater when they first start.”

Steve gave a tiny smile, “Thanks. I thi-” His statement was cut short by a loud thud. The two same teenagers that had skated passed them laughing had fallen to the floor, practically on top of each other.

“Ha! See! Karma. You haven’t even fallen yet, Steve!” Sam crowed, gently punching him in the arm. Steve smiled wider now.

The couple remained on the floor, face to face, laughing. They began to kiss in the middle of the skating rink while everyone skated around them, as if this were normal. Both Sam and Steve made a disgusted groan.

“That’s gross,” Steve muttered

“You got that right.”

\--

High schoolers don’t go to the skating rink to skate, Sam found out once he hit the ninth grade. They all sat in the concession stand area around the jukebox laughing at jokes and poorly flirting with each other. Mindless “He said, She said” and spending money they got from minimum wage jobs.

Sam sat in a booth across from Natasha Romanoff, who he was apparently dating, while a plate of nachos that Sam bought sat on the between them. Only “apparently dating” because she seemed uninterested in anything he had to say, which wasn’t much. But Natasha was uninterested in mostly everything.

Correction. High schoolers only skated when it was time for couples’ skate.

Once he finally got to high school, Sam realized that couples’ skate was mainly for showing off and very few of the couples ever really like each other more than they liked having someone to skate with.

Sam looked over at Natasha, mouth fixed to ask her if she wanted to skate, but her eyes were fixed over by the jukebox. More specifically on Bucky Barnes. 

That was fine. Sam would rather skate with someone else anyway.

Sighing, he rested his head on his hand and looked out onto the skating rink. 

Steve was there. A bit more confident skater than when they were six but still pretty terrible at it. His girlfriend, Sharon, was wrapped in his skinny arms, laughing and smiling up at him, well, more so down at him. They looked happy and in love. The new kind of love that wasn’t as mature as the seniors or college kids, but somewhat unsure and overly mushy.

Sam’s stomach ached from the bad nachos.

\--

The first winter break back from everyone’s first year of college, someone decided that their graduating class should all meet up that weekend at the skating rink. It was a cute and sentimental idea, so of course Sam went.

But this time he wasn’t going to lie to himself about why he was excited to go.

Steve Rogers had grown up nicely compared to that six year old boy that Sam remembered, and extremely different from the scrawny little twig he was back in ninth grade. His was tall and muscular now, and grew into his oversized ears. He still had that nervous, lopsided grin that just drove Sam mad.

“How has school been treating you?” Steve asked in his deep, soul-reaching voice. That wasn’t new, but it surprised Sam all the same when Steve came up behind him. They stood shoulder to shoulder, just barely touching, and watched everyone skate.

“It’s been fine. Nothing really...new,” Sam replied, trying hard not to make eye contact. “How about you?” And Sharon? Sam hadn’t dared to ask, scared of the answer. Steve and her were together through all of high school.

“Started hitting the gym. Made new friends.” It was getting hot. Had their bodies gotten closer? “But college is...lonely with all those strangers.”

Lonely. Did that mean…?

“Sharon and I decided to try new experiences. We broke up soon after graduation.” Sam ran his hand over his head. 

“So nobody else? Nobody to skate with?” Sam chuckled, secretly hoping he’d say no.

Steve looked over at Sam for a moment and gave him his signature smile. “Nah. I got my skating partner right here.”

Their bodies were definitely touching now. “Steve...I-”

“You know what time it is! Couples only on the floor!” The DJ called out. A Marvin Gaye song replaced the standard disco music.

“I want to skate with you.” Sam finished.

Steve didn’t say anything. He just smiled and grabbed Sam’s hands into his and dragged him out onto the floor. As the music gave them a steady, slow rhythm to skate to, Steve’s firm hands gripped onto Sam’s biceps. When did he get this smooth? Sam was damn near about to melt onto the flo-

“Sam…. I still don’t really know how to skate.”

Of course. He was trying to keep his balance. Sam couldn’t help but to laugh in Steve’s face, almost reeling over. Steve blushed, turning his whole body up to the tip of his ears red. “It’s not funny. I’m a lot better than I used to- shit!”

One of Steve’s feet didn’t catch up to the other, sending him on the ground ass first. And of course, since his hands refused to let go of Sam, he went tumbling down on top of him.

“Dammit, Steve!” Sam groaned while massaging his wrist. “Next time you fall at least let me go!”

He looked up to give Steve a glare but instead found himself looking into his piercing blue eyes. Suddenly, he realized that he was practically straddling his skating partner and their faces were barely an inch apart. Steve reached a hand up and carried Sam’s chin in his palm. Sam was faintly aware of the other skaters moving around them.

He had already licked his lips in anticipation.

“That’s gross,” Steve muttered

“You got that right,” Sam replied before finally closing the distance.

**Author's Note:**

> Bet you can guess which Marvin Gaye song was playing, but I also imagined it being "I Want You" by Marvin, which is a great song also.
> 
> Tumblr: @trapgoddex


End file.
